JP7454458B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

As a technology related to a refrigerator, for example, Patent Document 1 states, "...a communication hole provided at the lower part of the blower support member and communicating with the cooler chamber, and a heater provided in the cold air concentration duct. , the heater is provided extending from the communication hole into the cooler chamber.

Patent No. 5103452

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a heater is provided in the air passage (cold air collecting duct) to prevent freezing of the communication hole, and this heater is configured to extend from the communication hole to the cooler chamber. As described above, it is necessary to add or extend a heater to prevent freezing of the communication hole, and it is desired to suppress an increase in manufacturing cost and power consumption of the refrigerator.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that suppresses increases in manufacturing costs and power consumption.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a refrigerator according to the present invention includes a storage chamber including a cold air return port, a cooler chamber into which the return cold air from the cold air return port flows, and a cooler provided in the cooler chamber. and a fan that boosts the pressure of the air cooled by the cooler, and an air outlet forming part forming an air passage on the outlet side of the fan, and a communication hole is provided in the air outlet forming part. The air passage and the region from the cold air return port to the upstream half of the air flow of the cooler communicate through the communication hole , and the storage room is set in a freezing temperature range. or a configurable first storage chamber and a second storage chamber that is set to a refrigerated temperature zone or is settable, and the end of the communication hole is not provided in the second storage chamber; The communication hole is characterized in that it is provided within a range where the second storage chamber exists in the height direction . Note that other details will be explained in the embodiment.

It is a front view of a refrigerator concerning an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an air passage configuration of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram showing the inside of the air passage in FIG. 3A in the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram regarding the air passage configuration of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the vicinity of an air passage forming member in a cross section taken along line III-III in FIG. 2 in the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the vicinity of a communication hole in a cross section taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 6 in the refrigerator according to the embodiment. In the refrigerator according to the embodiment, it is an explanatory diagram showing a space on the upstream side of the air flow of the first cooler as a predetermined range. In the refrigerator according to the embodiment, it is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air when air is blown to the ice making compartment, the freezing compartment, and the first change compartment. In the refrigerator according to the embodiment, it is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air when air is circulated between the first cooler chamber and the first switching chamber.

≪Embodiment≫
FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment.
Note that although the refrigerator 100 having six doors 1a, 1b, 2a to 5a will be described below as an example, the number of doors is not limited to six.
The refrigerator 100 is a device for cooling food and the like, and includes a heat insulating box body 10 in which a refrigerator compartment R1, a freezer compartment R3, etc. are provided. In the example of FIG. 1, a refrigerator compartment R1, an ice-making compartment R2/freezer compartment R3 installed on the left and right, a first switching compartment R4, and a second switching compartment R5 are installed inside the refrigerator 100 in order from the top. It is being

Refrigerator 100 includes French-type doors 1a and 1b that together with heat insulating box 10 form a refrigerator compartment R1. In addition, the refrigerator 100 includes a door 2a of the ice making compartment R2, a door 3a of the freezing compartment R3, a door 4a of the first switching compartment R4, and a door 5a of the second switching compartment R5 as pull-out doors. . Note that the door 1a of the refrigerator compartment R1 is provided with a display section 43 that shows settings and conditions inside the refrigerator. Moreover, in order to fix the doors 1a and 1b of the refrigerator compartment R1 to the heat insulating box 10, door hinges (not shown) are provided at the upper and lower parts of the refrigerator compartment R1.

The refrigerator compartment R1 is a storage compartment whose interior is set to a predetermined refrigeration temperature range (0° C. or higher). The ice making room R2 and the freezing room R3 are storage rooms whose interiors are set to a predetermined freezing temperature range (less than 0° C.). The first switching room R4 and the second switching room R5 are storage rooms whose interior can be switched to a refrigerating temperature zone or a freezing temperature zone. For example, the first switching chamber R4 can be switched from one of the refrigerating mode and the freezing mode to the other (second switching chamber R5) by the user's operation via the operation unit 44 (see FIG. 2). (same as well).

In addition to strong refrigeration mode and weak refrigeration mode in which a predetermined storage room is set in a predetermined temperature range between refrigeration mode and freezing mode, vegetables are stored in strong refrigeration mode and refrigeration temperature range in which the temperature is lower than freezing mode. A plurality of operation modes, such as a vegetable mode suitable for this, may be provided as appropriate. Each of these operation modes is set by a user's operation via the operation unit 44 (see FIG. 2). In addition, when the refrigerator 100 is connected to a mobile device (not shown) such as a smartphone via a wireless communication line, the temperature range of the first switching room R4 and the second switching room R5 can be changed via this mobile device. It may be possible to allow the user to set it.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1 of the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
In addition, in FIG. 2, the flow of air inside the refrigerator 100 is shown by arrows.
The refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 2 has a heat insulating material formed by filling a foam insulation material (for example, urethane foam) between an outer box 10a (for example, made of steel plate) and an inner box 10b (for example, made of synthetic resin). The outside and inside of the refrigerator are separated by the box 10.

In addition to the foam insulation material described above, a vacuum insulation material 10c, which has a lower thermal conductivity than the foam insulation material, is installed between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b to reduce the volume for storing food. The heat insulating performance of the heat insulating box body 10 is improved without causing any damage. Here, the vacuum heat insulating material 10c is constructed by wrapping a core material such as glass wool or urethane with an outer wrapping material. The outer packaging material includes a metal layer (for example, aluminum) for ensuring gas barrier properties.

Also, depending on the settings, the first switching room R4 and the second switching room R5 become relatively large freezing storage rooms, so in addition to the door 4a of the first switching room R4 and the door 5a of the second switching room R5, A vacuum heat insulating material 10c is also inserted in the lower part of the heat insulating box 10 in order to improve heat insulation performance.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator compartment R1 and the ice making compartment R2/freezer compartment R3 are separated by a heat insulating partition wall 11. Furthermore, the ice making compartment R2/freezer compartment R3 and the first switching compartment R4 are separated by a heat insulating partition wall 12. The first switching room R4 and the second switching room R5 are separated by a heat insulating partition wall 13. A vacuum heat insulating material 10c is inserted inside the heat insulating partition walls 12 and 13, and high heat insulation performance is ensured with a relatively thin heat insulating wall. In addition, on the front side between the ice making compartment R2 and the freezing compartment R3, a heat insulating partition wall 14 (Fig. 1) is provided.

In this embodiment, an electric heater 45a capable of heating the first switching chamber R4 is provided on the upper surface of the heat insulating partition wall 13 so that the temperature of the first switching chamber R4 does not become too low. Furthermore, an electric heater 45b capable of heating the second switching chamber R5 is provided on the lower surface of the heat insulating partition wall 13 so that the second switching chamber R5 does not become too low in temperature.

The ice-making compartment R2 is provided with an ice-making compartment container 2b (see FIG. 4) that is pulled out integrally with the door 2a. Similarly, the freezer compartment R3, the first switching compartment R4, and the second switching compartment R5 include a freezer compartment container 3b, a first switching compartment container 4b, and a second switching compartment that are pulled out together with the doors 3a, 4a, and 5a. A container 5b is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 100 includes a first cooler 15a (cooler) for cooling an ice making compartment R2 (see FIG. 1), a freezing compartment R3, a first switching compartment R4, and a second switching compartment R5. It is equipped with This first cooler 15a is provided in the first cooler chamber S1 (cooler chamber) on the back side of the first switching chamber R4 and the second switching chamber R5. In the first cooler chamber S1, the space on the upstream side of the air flow of the first cooler 15a is referred to as a first cooler chamber S11, and the space on the downstream side of the air flow is referred to as a first cooler chamber S12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 100 includes an air passage forming member 20. As shown in FIG. The air passage forming member 20 has a function of partitioning the first switching chamber R4 and the first cooler chamber S1, and also partitioning the second switching chamber R5 and the first cooler chamber S1. Furthermore, the air passage forming member 20 also has the function of forming an air passage together with the inner box 10b and the first cooler toy 46a (toy).

The air passage forming member 20 includes two partition members 20a and 20b and a blowing air passage forming part 20c. The partition member 20a is a plate-shaped member that forms a wall surface on the side of the storage chamber (first switching chamber R4 and second switching chamber R5). As such a partition member 20a, one made of resin such as polypropylene is used, for example. The partition member 20b is a member that provides insulation between the storage chamber (first switching chamber R4 and second switching chamber R5) and the first cooler chamber S1, and is made of, for example, polystyrene foam (styrofoam), which has higher insulation properties than polypropylene or the like. ) etc. are used. Further, the blowout air path forming portion 20c forms an air path on the blowout side of the first fan 47a, and is made of resin such as polypropylene, for example.

As shown in FIG. 2, a first fan 47a (fan) is provided above the first cooler 15a. The first fan 47a is a fan that increases the pressure of the air cooled by the first cooler 15a. As mentioned above, it is desirable to provide insulation between each switching chamber and the first cooler chamber S1, and since the air path is complicated, the first fan 47a is designed to reduce static pressure, for example. A turbo fan, which is a strong centrifugal fan, is used.

A defrost heater 45c that heats the first cooler 15a is provided in the lower part of the first cooler chamber S1 (first cooler chamber S11, which is a space on the upstream side of the air flow of the first cooler 15a). There is. As such a defrosting heater 45c, for example, a radiant heater having a larger calorific value than other electric heaters (electric heaters 45a, 45b, etc.) is used. Defrosting water (melted water) generated during defrosting of the first cooler 15a falls into the first cooler toy 46a provided at the lower side of the first cooler chamber S1, and the first cooler drain pipe 16 is discharged to the evaporation tray 18 in the machine room S3.

The second cooler 15b used for cooling the refrigerator compartment R1 is provided in the second cooler compartment S2 on the back side of the refrigerator compartment R1. The air, which has become low temperature by exchanging heat with the second cooler 15b, is passed through the refrigerator compartment air passage 7a and the refrigerator compartment discharge port 8a sequentially to the refrigerator compartment R1 by the second fan 47b on the upper side of the second cooler 15b. and cools the refrigerator compartment R1. The air sent into the refrigerator compartment R1 returns to the second cooler compartment S2 via the return port 8s (see FIG. 3B), and is cooled again by the second cooler 15b.

Note that defrosting of the second cooler 15b may be performed by so-called off-cycle defrosting, in which the air in the refrigerator compartment R1 is circulated and the second cooler 15b is defrosted with the heat of the refrigerator compartment R1. The defrosting water generated during defrosting of the second cooler 15b falls into the second cooler toy 46b on the lower side of the second cooler room S2, and flows through the second cooler drain port (not shown) and the second cooler toy 46b. The water is discharged to the evaporation tray 18 in the machine room S3 through a condenser drain pipe (not shown) in sequence.

FIG. 3A is a front view showing the air passage configuration of the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
Note that FIG. 3A shows a state in which each door and each container are removed from the refrigerator 100. Moreover, in FIG. 3A, the flow of air inside the refrigerator 100 is shown by arrows (the same applies to the next FIG. 3B).
As shown in FIG. 3A, a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 31 is provided on the back wall of the refrigerator compartment R1, and a freezing compartment temperature sensor 32 is provided on the back wall of the freezer compartment R3. A first switching room temperature sensor 33 is provided on the back wall of the first switching room R4, and a second switching room temperature sensor 34 is provided on the back wall of the second switching room R5. In addition, the first cooler 15a is provided with a first cooler temperature sensor 35 (see FIG. 2), and the second cooler 15b is provided with a second cooler temperature sensor 36 (see FIG. 2). There is.

The temperatures of the refrigerator compartment R1, the freezer compartment R3, the first switching compartment R4, the second switching compartment R5, the first cooler 15a, and the second cooler 15b are detected by each of the sensors described above. Further, inside the door hinge cover 19 (see FIG. 2), an outside air temperature sensor 37 that detects the temperature of the outside air (outside air) and an outside air humidity sensor 38 that detects the humidity of the outside air are provided. In addition, there is a door sensor 39 (see FIG. 3A) that detects the open/closed states of the doors 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a, and an ice-making device that detects the temperature of water (ice) in the ice tray 2c (see FIG. 4). A room temperature sensor (not shown) is also provided.

At the top of the refrigerator 100, a control board 41 (see FIG. 2) is provided on which a CPU, memory such as ROM and RAM, an interface, etc., which are part of the control device are mounted. The control board 41 is connected to each of the above-mentioned sensors via wiring. In addition, a CPU (Central Processing Unit: not shown) mounted on the control board 41 sets the output values of each sensor and the operation section 44 (see FIG. 2), as well as a ROM (Read Only Memory: not shown). The compressor 17, the first fan 47a, the second fan 47b, and the dampers 51 to 54 (see FIG. 3B) are appropriately controlled based on a program stored in advance. Note that the circuit mounted on the control board 41 is referred to as a control section 42.

In addition, the refrigerator 100 is also provided with a communication board (not shown) that can be connected to an external device (not shown). By providing this communication board, information on the refrigerator 100 can be provided to mobile devices such as smartphones, personal computers, etc., and when these devices are operated in a predetermined manner, they can be operated in the same way as the operation unit 44 (see FIG. 2). The mode settings are changed accordingly.

FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing the inside of the air passage in FIG. 3A in the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
Note that in FIG. 3B, portions that are not actually visible from the outside are shown by broken lines, and air flows in these portions are shown by broken line arrows.
As shown in FIG. 3B, the refrigerator 100 includes dampers 51 to 55. The damper 51 (see also FIG. 4) can change opening/closing between the ice-making compartment R2/freezer compartment R3 and the first cooler compartment S1, and can, for example, switch communication/blocking. Air flow accompanying opening and closing of this damper 51 and other dampers 52 to 55 will be explained using FIG. 4 (see also FIG. 3B as appropriate).

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram regarding the air passage configuration of the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
The dampers 52 and 53 (air blow control members) shown in FIG. 4 can change the opening degree between the air passage 7b and the first switching chamber R4 (that is, the opening degree can be changed), for example. , has the function of switching communication/blocking.

Further, the dampers 54 and 55 (air blow control members) can change opening/closing between the air passage 7b and the second switching chamber R5 (in other words, can change the degree of opening), and can, for example, communicate/ It has a function to switch the cutoff.

For example, when cooling the ice making compartment R2 or the freezing compartment R3, the control unit 42 (see FIG. 2) drives the first fan 47a above the first cooler 15a with the damper 51 open. As a result, the air (cold air) that has become low temperature by exchanging heat with the first cooler 15a is transferred to the first cooler chamber S12, the air passage 7b, the damper 51, the air passage 7c, and the freezer compartment discharge ports 8b, 8c (see Fig. 3B) and is guided to the ice making compartment R2 and the freezing compartment R3. As a result, in addition to the water in the ice tray 2c (see FIG. 4) provided in the ice making compartment R2, the ice in the ice making compartment container 2b and the food in the freezing compartment container 3b are cooled.

Note that water in the ice tray 2c is supplied by an ice making pump (not shown) from an ice making tank 2d shown in FIG. 3B. The air that has cooled the ice making compartment R2 and the freezing compartment R3 is returned to the first cooler compartment S11 via the return port 8d and the return air passage 7d in order, and is cooled again by the first cooler 15a.

Regarding the first switching room R4, the flow path of cold air can be changed between freezing mode and refrigeration mode (including the above-mentioned vegetable mode). For example, when the first switching chamber R4 is in the freezing mode, the control unit 42 opens the damper 52 for direct cooling of the first switching chamber R4, and closes the damper 53 for indirect cooling. As a result, the air cooled by the first cooler 15a is transferred to the first cooler chamber S12, the first fan 47a, the air passage 7b, the damper 52, and the outlet 8e (the direct cooling outlet of the first switching chamber R4). ) into the first switching chamber container 4b of the first switching chamber R4. As a result, the food in the first change chamber container 4b is directly cooled, so that the food is cooled in a relatively short time.

Further, when the first switching room R4 is in the refrigeration mode, the control unit 42 opens the damper 53 for indirect cooling of the first switching room R4, and closes the damper 52 for direct cooling. As a result, the air cooled by the first cooler 15a is transferred to the first cooler chamber S12, the first fan 47a, the air passage 7b, the damper 53, and the outlet 8f (the indirect cooling outlet of the first switching chamber R4). ) to the outside (outer periphery) of the first exchange chamber container 4b. This makes it difficult for cold air to directly reach the food in the first changing chamber container 4b, and the food is indirectly cooled through the first changing chamber container 4b, thereby cooling the food while suppressing drying. can. Note that the "outside" of the first switching chamber container 4b means the gap between the wall surface of the first switching chamber R4 and the first switching chamber container 4b.

The air discharged from the discharge port 8e or the discharge port 8f and which has cooled the first switching chamber R4 returns to the first cooler chamber S11 via the return port 8g and the return air path 7d in order, and returns to the first cooler 15a again. cooled down. That is, the return cold air from the return port 8g (cold air return port) flows into the first cooler chamber S11. Note that in the freezing mode, the temperature difference between the storage room and the outside air is larger, and the load required for cooling is larger. Therefore, by making the opening area (size) of the damper 52 mainly used in the freezing mode larger than that of the damper 53 mainly used in the refrigeration mode, the air volume when the damper 52 is in the open state is ensured. That's what I do. On the other hand, by reducing the opening area (size) of the damper 53, a sufficient volume of the storage chamber is ensured when the damper 53 is in the open state.

In this way, the dampers 52 and 53 (air blow control members) that switch communication/blocking between the air passage 7b and the first switching room R4 (one storage room) are connected to the first switching room R4 (one storage room). Two are provided for.

In the second switching chamber R5 as well, similarly to the first switching chamber R4, opening and closing of the dampers 54 and 55 are switched in a predetermined manner depending on the operating mode. For example, when the second switching chamber R5 is in the freezing mode, the control unit 42 opens the damper 54 for direct cooling of the second switching chamber R5, and closes the damper 55 for indirect cooling. As a result, the air cooled by the first cooler 15a is transferred to the first fan 47a, the air passage 7b (including the air passage 71b), the damper 54, and the outlet 8m (the direct cooling outlet of the second switching chamber R5). ) is sequentially blown to the second switching chamber container 5b to directly cool the food inside the second switching chamber container 5b.

Further, when the second switching chamber R5 is in the refrigeration mode, the control unit 42 opens the damper 55 for indirect cooling of the second switching chamber R5, and closes the damper 54 for direct cooling. As a result, the air cooled by the first cooler 15a is transferred to the first cooler chamber S12, the first fan 47a, the air passage 7b (including the air passage 71b), the damper 55, and the discharge port 8k (second switching chamber It is guided to the outside (outer periphery) of the second switching chamber container 5b sequentially through the indirect cooling outlet R5. In addition, the "outside" of the second switching chamber container 5b means the gap between the wall surface of the second switching chamber R5 and the second switching chamber container 5b.
As a result, the food in the second switching chamber container 5b is indirectly cooled. The air that has cooled the second switching chamber R5 returns to the first cooler chamber S11 via the return port 8n, and is cooled again by the first cooler 15a. Note that the damper 54, which is mainly used in the freezing mode, has a larger opening area than the damper 55, which is mainly used in the refrigeration mode.

Moreover, in this embodiment, as a refrigeration mode in which the first switching chamber R4 and the second switching chamber R5 are set in the refrigeration temperature range, in addition to the normal refrigeration mode, a vegetable mode is provided that is assumed to be used as a vegetable compartment. There is. In the normal refrigeration mode (when the vegetable mode is not set), if the temperature inside the refrigerator is higher than a predetermined value, the control unit 42 opens the dampers 52 and 54 for direct cooling. As a result, the food in the container is quickly cooled down in a short period of time by direct cooling, thereby maintaining its freshness.

On the other hand, in the vegetable mode, the control unit 42 basically does not open the dampers 52 and 54 for direct cooling, but opens the dampers 53 and 55 for indirect cooling so that the food is cooled only by indirect cooling. This prevents food (vegetables) from drying out and maintains their freshness.

In addition, in the normal refrigeration mode (when the vegetable mode is not set), it is assumed that in addition to food in bags, items that are relatively less likely to dry out, such as drinks in cans and plastic bottles, are stored. Therefore, in the normal refrigeration mode, the control unit 42 may open the dampers 52 and 54 in order to cool the food in a short time. Also in the freezing mode, if the temperature inside the refrigerator is higher than a predetermined value, the control unit 42 may open the dampers 52 and 54, and may also open the dampers 53 and 55 to increase the air volume.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerator 100 includes a compressor 17, an external radiator 61a, a wall heat radiation pipe 61b, a condensation prevention pipe 61c, a dryer 62, and a three-way valve 63. In addition to the above-described configuration, the refrigerator 100 also includes a freezing capillary tube 64, a refrigeration capillary tube 65, a first cooler 15a, a second cooler 15b, and gas-liquid separators 66 and 69. It includes a check valve 67 and a refrigerant merging section 68. A refrigeration cycle is formed by connecting each of these members in a predetermined manner via refrigerant piping.

The compressor 17 is a device that compresses gaseous refrigerant, and the rotational speed of a motor (not shown) serving as a driving source is controlled to a predetermined value by an inverter (not shown). The external radiator 61a and the wall heat radiation piping 61b radiate heat from the refrigerant, and are provided at predetermined locations in the refrigerator 100. The dew condensation prevention pipe 61c is a pipe for suppressing dew condensation on the front surfaces of the heat insulating partition walls 11, 12, 13, and 14 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The dryer 62 removes moisture in the refrigeration cycle. The three-way valve 63 is a valve that switches the refrigerant flow path in a predetermined manner, and includes two outlet ports 63a and 63b.

The freezing capillary tube 64 and the refrigeration capillary tube 65 reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the configuration is such that heat exchange is performed between the refrigerant flowing out from the first cooler 15a and the refrigerant flowing through the freezing capillary tube 64 (the area in FIG. G1). Moreover, it is configured so that heat exchange is performed between the refrigerant flowing out from the second cooler 15b and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerating capillary tube 65 (region G2 in FIG. 5).

The first cooler 15a and the second cooler 15b are heat exchangers that exchange heat between the refrigerant and the air inside the refrigerator and absorb heat inside the refrigerator. The gas-liquid separators 66 and 69 are members for separating the refrigerant into gas and liquid, and are provided to prevent liquid compression in the compressor 17. The check valve 67 is a valve that allows the refrigerant to flow from the gas-liquid separator 66 toward the refrigerant confluence section 68 and blocks the flow in the opposite direction.

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 17 is guided to the three-way valve 63 through the external radiator 61a, wall heat radiation piping 61b, dew condensation prevention piping 61c, and dryer 62 in this order. For example, when performing a refrigeration operation, the control unit 42 allows the refrigerant to flow through the outlet 63a of the three-way valve 63, while blocking the outlet 63b. As a result, the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 63a flows through the freezing capillary tube 64, the first cooler 15a, the gas-liquid separator 66, the check valve 67, and the refrigerant merging section 68 in this order. 17 to the suction side. The refrigerant that has become low pressure and low temperature in the freezing capillary tube 64 flows through the first cooler 15a, so that the first cooler 15a becomes low temperature and the first cooler chamber S1 (FIGS. 2, 3B, 4 (see also) cools the air. This air is sent into the ice making compartment R2, the freezing compartment R3, the first switching compartment R4, and the second switching compartment R5, thereby cooling each of these compartments.

Furthermore, when performing the refrigeration operation, the control unit 42 allows the refrigerant to flow through the outlet 63b of the three-way valve 63, while blocking the outlet 63a. As a result, the refrigerant flowing out from the outlet 63b sequentially flows through the refrigerating capillary tube 65, the second cooler 15b, the gas-liquid separator 69, and the refrigerant confluence section 68, and enters the suction side of the compressor 17. be guided. The refrigerant that has become low pressure and low temperature in the refrigeration capillary tube 65 flows through the second cooler 15b, so that the second cooler 15b becomes low temperature and the second cooler chamber S2 (FIGS. 2, 3B, 4 (see also) air is cooled. By sending this air into the refrigerator compartment R1, the refrigerator compartment R1 is cooled. The three-way valve 63 can be switched to a fully closed mode in which both the outlets 63a and 63b are closed, and a fully open mode in which both the outlets 63a and 63b are opened.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the vicinity of the air passage forming member 20 in a cross section taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2 in the refrigerator according to the embodiment.
Note that in FIG. 6, portions that are not visible from the front side of the page are indicated by broken lines (the same applies to FIGS. 8 to 10, which will be described later).

The air passage forming member 20 includes an air outlet forming part 20c that forms an air passage 7b on the outlet side of the first fan 47a on the back side of the partition member 20b.

In addition to the first fan 47a, dampers 51 to 55 and gear boxes 56 and 57 (electrical components) are provided in the blowout air path forming portion 20c. The gear box 56 houses a motor (not shown) that is a drive source for the dampers 52 and 53. Another gear box 57 houses a motor (not shown) that is a driving source for the dampers 54 and 55.

A communication hole 9 is provided in the lower part (near the lower end in the example of FIG. 6) of the blowout air passage forming part 20c. The air passage 7b on the outlet side of the first fan 47a communicates with the first cooler chamber S11 (the space on the upstream side of the air flow of the first cooler 15a) through the communication hole 9. This communication hole 9 has a function of draining moisture in the blowout air path forming part 20c (air path 7b) and guiding air from the air path 7b to the first cooler chamber S11. Note that details of the communication hole 9 will be described later.

A partition plate 24 that partitions the return air passage 7d and the first cooler chamber S1 is installed on the back side of the partition member 20b (see also FIG. 2). A first cooler 15a is installed between the partition plate 24 and the blowout air path forming section 20c. A plate-shaped communication suppressing member 21a is installed between the first cooler 15a and the partition plate 24. Further, a block-shaped communication suppressing member 21b is installed between the first cooler 15a and the blowout air path forming section 20c. These communication suppressing members 21a and 21b close the gaps on both the left and right sides of the first cooler 15a.

In the example of FIG. 6, in the space between the partition member 20b and the heat insulating box 10 (see also FIG. 2), the lower side (upstream side of the air flow) of the first cooler 15a is connected to the first cooler chamber S11. It has become. On the other hand, the space above the first cooler 15a (on the downstream side of the air flow) and between the partition plate 24 and the blowout air path forming part 20c is the first cooler chamber S12.

The defrosting heater 45c shown in FIG. 6 has a function of heating the first cooler 15a during the defrosting operation. This defrosting heater 45c is provided at a location lower in height than the first cooler 15a in the first cooler chamber S1 (cooler chamber). The above-described location is included in the first cooler chamber S11, which is a space on the upstream side of the air flow of the first cooler 15a. Moreover, in the height direction, a return port 8n is provided between the first cooler 15a and the defrosting heater 45c.

A first cooler toy 46a (toy) is provided below the first cooler chamber S1 and the defrosting heater 45c. This first cooler toy 46a is for draining water droplets flowing out through the communication hole 9 in addition to the defrosting water from the first cooler 15a. The first cooler toy 46a is inclined downward toward the first cooler drain pipe 16.

Also, a first cooler toy 46a is provided below the communication hole 9 so that the water flowing out from the air passage 7b on the outlet side of the first fan 47a through the communication hole 9 can be received by the first cooler toy 46a. is located. Specifically, the first cooler toy 46a may be provided directly below the communication hole 9, or a wall surface or the like may be provided directly below the communication hole 9, so that water flowing down the wall surface reaches the first cooler toy 46a. You can do it like this. Moreover, in the example of FIG. 6, the first cooler 15a is not provided between the communication hole 9 and the first cooler toy 46a in the vertical direction. As a result, the water flowing out from the communication hole 9 drips into the first cooler toy 46a and is discharged without passing through the first cooler 15a, thereby preventing the water from freezing in the first cooler 15a. It can be prevented.

In this embodiment, in order to defrost the first cooler 15a, the control unit 42 (see FIG. 2) stops the compressor 17 (see FIG. 2), energizes the defrosting heater 45c, and Defrosting operation is performed by heating the container 15a. For example, the control unit 42 drives the first fan 47a while the defrosting heater 45c is energized, and controls the first cooler chamber S1 and the first cooler chamber S1, which is in the refrigerating temperature zone (or set in the refrigerating temperature zone). Air is circulated between the switching chamber R4 and the second switching chamber R5. During this defrosting operation, dew condensation and frost formation may occur in the air path 7b as the air passes through the first cooler 15a and becomes highly humid. If the water generated by these remains in the outlet air path forming part 20c, there is a risk that the air path 7b will be blocked by water, frost, or ice, and problems such as freezing may occur in the first fan 47a and the dampers 51 to 55. .

Therefore, in this embodiment, a communication hole 9 is provided at the lower part of the air outlet forming part 20c so that water generated on the inner wall of the air passage 7b can be collected and discharged at the lower part of the air outlet forming part 20c. The water discharged from the communication hole 9 falls into the first cooler toy 46a on the lower side of the first cooler chamber S11, and flows through the first cooler drain pipe 16 together with the defrosting water of the first cooler 15a. and is discharged into the evaporating dish 18 (see FIG. 2). If the defrost heater 45c does not reach directly below the communication hole 9 (that is, the defrost heater 45c does not reach directly below the communication hole 9), water can be prevented from dripping onto the defrost heater 45c. Therefore, it is preferable.

Moreover, in the example of FIG. 6, the dampers 54 and 55 (air blow control members) are provided below the first fan 47a (fan) in the air passage 7b. Further, the communication hole 9 is provided below the dampers 54 and 55 and the gear box 57 (electrical components). This suppresses water generated in the air passage 7b from accumulating in the lower part of the air passage 7b and reaching the dampers 54, 55. That is, freezing of the dampers 54 and 55 is suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 6, the communication hole 9 is a space upstream of the first cooler 15a in the air flow (a space before passing through the first cooler 15a when the first fan 47a is driven). It communicates with the cooler chamber S11. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the manufacturing cost and power consumption of the refrigerator 100. The reason for this will be explained below using two comparative examples.

First, as a first comparative example, a case will be considered in which the air passage 7b and the second switching chamber R5 communicate with each other via a communication hole (not shown) different from the communication hole 9, although it is not shown. In this case, even if the control unit 42 closes the dampers 54 and 55 to suppress air blowing while the first fan 47a is being driven, cold air is always sent from the communication hole to the second switching chamber R5. As a result, appropriate temperature control becomes difficult in the second switching chamber R5. In particular, assuming that the second switching chamber R5 is set to the refrigeration temperature range, it will be necessary to heat the food with the electric heater 45b to prevent the food from getting too cold due to the cold air from the communication hole, which will lead to an increase in power consumption. .

As a second comparative example, a case where a communication hole (not shown) different from the communication hole 9 communicates with the first cooler chamber S12 on the downstream side of the air flow than the first cooler 15a is considered. think. In such a configuration, in order to cool the storage room in the freezing temperature range, sub-zero air flows downstream of the first cooler 15a, and the water remaining in the communication hole will freeze, so the defrosting operation will not be possible. It becomes necessary to thaw the ice in the communicating hole.

During the defrosting operation, the heating of the defrosting heater 45c, which generates the largest amount of heat, is dominant, and the heat of the defrosting heater 45c is transmitted by radiation or air convection. Here, the radiant heat from the defrosting heater 45c is blocked by the first cooler 15a and the frost attached to the first cooler 15a, and the radiant heat from the first cooler chamber S12 beyond the first cooler 15a is blocked. Difficult to reach walls. Therefore, the amount of heating by radiant heat to the wall surface of the first cooler chamber S12 is small. In other words, in the configuration of the second comparative example, frost and ice in the communication holes are difficult to melt.

Also, when considering heat transfer by air convection, if frost remains in the first cooler 15a, the air will reach the same temperature as the frost while passing through the first cooler 15a, that is, the basic below the melting point of water. Therefore, it is difficult to heat the wall surface of the first switching chamber R4 beyond the first cooler 15a to a temperature higher than the melting point temperature. Considering this, in the configuration of the second comparative example, a dedicated heater (not shown) is added to melt frost and ice in the communication hole communicating with the first switching chamber R4, A member for distributing heat from a nearby heater (for example, the defrosting heater 45c) is required, leading to an increase in cost and power consumption.

It is also conceivable to continue heating the defrosting heater 45c even after the frost in the first cooler 15a has melted, so that the air after passing through the first cooler 15a has a temperature higher than the melting point of water. However, if the defrost heater 45c, which generates the largest amount of heat, continues to be energized, the first cooler 15a, etc. will be excessively heated, resulting in an increase in power consumption and a decrease in energy saving performance. .

In contrast, in the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment, the air passage 7b and the first cooler chamber S11, which is a space on the upstream side of the air flow of the first cooler 15a, are communicated via the communication hole 9. Ru. As a result, the air in the first cooler chamber S11 whose temperature has been increased by the defrosting heater 45c is guided to the communication hole 9 without passing through the first cooler 15a, that is, the frost in the first cooler 15a is thawed. From the beginning, the communication hole 9 can be heated with air at a temperature exceeding the melting point temperature.

In addition, since the communication hole 9 is provided near the defrost heater 45c, radiant heat (direct radiation) from the defrost heater 45c and the first cooler toy 46a whose temperature has increased due to the defrost heater 45c are removed. The communication hole 9 can also be heated by radiant heat (indirect radiation). This makes it easier for frost and ice formed in the communication holes 9 to melt. Therefore, the need for adding or extending a heater (not shown) can be reduced or eliminated, and the power consumption of the defrosting heater 45c after the first cooler 15a is defrosted can be reduced. Therefore, an increase in manufacturing cost and power consumption of refrigerator 100 can be suppressed.

Moreover, since the downstream side of the air flow of the communication hole 9 does not communicate with any storage chamber, cold air intrusion into the storage chamber via the communication hole 9 is suppressed. That is, the low-temperature air flowing out through the communication hole 9 returns to the first cooler 15a without passing through the storage chamber, so there is almost no adverse effect on food cooling or power consumption.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the vicinity of the communication hole 9 in a cross section taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 6 in the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
In order to ensure that the air that has passed through the communication hole 9 returns to the first cooler 15a without passing through the storage chamber, as shown in FIG. It is preferable to communicate the air passage 7b with the first cooler chamber S11 so that air flows backward through the hole 9. In other words, the communication hole is arranged so that the air flowing out from the air passage 7b through the communication hole 9 is blown out to the opposite side of the second switching chamber R5 (the storage chamber set or settable in the refrigeration temperature range). 9 is preferably provided.

When the first fan 47a is running, cold air flows from the air passage 7b into the first cooling chamber S11 (see also FIG. 9), but as described above, by flowing the cold air backward through the communication hole 9, the inflow of cold air into the return port 8n (see FIG. 6) provided on the front side of the first cooling chamber S11 is suppressed. For example, when the second switching chamber R5 is in the normal refrigeration mode or vegetable mode, the cold air flowing out from the communication hole 9 prevents the food in the second switching chamber R5 from becoming too cold. In addition, the amount of power consumed by the defrost heater 45c to maintain the temperature of the second switching chamber R5 can be reduced.

Note that the above-mentioned effect obtained by the communication hole 9 is not limited to the case where the air passage 7b and the first cooler chamber S11 are communicated, but when the air flow upstream side of the air passage 7b and the first cooler 15a is connected. It can also be played by communicating.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the space upstream of the air flow of the first cooler 15a as a predetermined range Q1 in the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
Note that the range Q1, which is the area from each of the return ports 8d, 8g, and 8n to the first cooler chamber S11 and the upstream half (lower half in the height direction) of the first cooler 15a, is defined as the first cooler 15a. This is called the "upstream side of the air flow." In this range Q1, air whose temperature has increased due to heating by the defrosting heater 45c during the defrosting operation is guided to the communication hole 9 before being cooled to the melting point by the frost of the first cooler 15a. Therefore, the communication hole 9 communicating with the air passage 7b is effectively heated if it communicates with the range Q1. That is, even when frost is attached to the first cooler 15a, the communication hole 9 can be efficiently heated by the defrosting heater 45c. Therefore, the need to add or extend a heater (not shown) is reduced or eliminated, and energization of the defrosting heater 45c after the first cooler 15a is defrosted is suppressed. Therefore, increases in manufacturing costs and power consumption due to the provision of the communication holes 9 can be suppressed. Further, by providing the communication hole 9 near the defrosting heater 45c, warm air whose temperature has been increased by the defrosting heater 45c can easily reach the communication hole 9.
In this way, the communication hole 9 can be communicated with the air passage 7b and any position in the range Q1. However, as in this embodiment, the air passage 7b and the first cooler chamber S11 are communicated with each other, and the defrosting It is desirable to provide the communication hole 9 substantially near the heater 45c. By providing the defrost heater 45c substantially near the defrost heater 45c, warm air whose temperature has been increased by the defrost heater 45c can easily reach the communication hole 9, and can also be directly radiated from the defrost heater 45c or via the first cooler toy 46a. Since it is easy to receive indirect radiation, the communication hole 9 can be efficiently heated especially by the defrosting heater 45c. Furthermore, since the communication hole 9 communicates with the low-pressure first cooler chamber S1 that is relatively close to the first fan 47a, the air that has passed through the communication hole 9 easily returns to the first fan 47a, and the communication hole 9 is suppressed from flowing into the storage chamber. The defrost heater 45c is mainly used for heating the first cooler 15a, and since the defrost heater 45c is located upstream of the first cooler 15a, this is an example of "nearby" regarding the position of the communication hole 9. This can be within a sideward projection area from the upstream half of the first cooler 15a, or a region below this projection area. If it is within any of these regions, it is further possible to prevent the drainage water from the communication hole 9 from reaching the first cooler 15a and causing frost formation. In this regard, it is preferable that the communication hole 9 opens diagonally downward or directly downward.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air when air is blown to the ice making compartment, the freezing compartment, and the first change compartment in the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
Note that the cross section of FIG. 9 is the same as that of FIG. 6. Further, in FIG. 9, arrows indicate the air flow when the first fan 47a is driven when the dampers 51 and 52 are in the open state and the other dampers 53 to 55 are in the closed state. ing.

While the first fan 47a is operating, the air that has cooled the ice making compartment R2 and the freezing compartment R3 passes through the return port 8d and the return air passage 7d sequentially to the first cooler compartment S11, as shown by the arrow in FIG. guided by. Moreover, the air that has cooled the first switching chamber R4 is guided to the first cooler chamber S11 via the return port 8n and the return air passage 7d in sequence. The air (cold air) cooled by the first cooler 15a is guided from the first cooler room S12 to the air passage 7b, and further led to the ice making room R2, the freezing room R3, and the first changing room R4. It will be destroyed. At this time, the dampers 54 and 55 that control the air blowing to the second switching chamber R5 are in a closed state, but since the communication hole 9 is provided in this embodiment, the air flows through the communication hole 9. A flow (dashed arrow in FIG. 9) is formed. That is, the cold air that has passed through the first cooler 15a also flows into the air passage 71b (the air passage used for blowing air to the second switching room R5 among the air passages 7b).

Here, in the process of cooling the air in the first cooler 15a, the first cooler 15a is frosted and dehumidified, so the cold air that has passed through the first cooler 15a becomes low in humidity. Therefore, for example, even if dew condensation or frost builds up on the wall surface of the air passage 7b during defrosting operation, the water due to dew condensation or frost will be removed at the location where the cold air that has passed through the first cooler 15a passes during cooling operation.・Ice and frost evaporate. In other words, growth of frost and the like in the air passage 7b can be suppressed even during cooling operation.

If the communication hole 9 were not provided, there would be no air outlet of the air passage 71b when the dampers 54 and 55 are closed, making it difficult for the cold air from the first cooler 15a to flow into the air passage 71b. becomes difficult to change. On the other hand, in this embodiment in which the communication hole 9 is provided, even if the dampers 54 and 55 are in the closed state, a flow of cold air is formed through the communication hole 9 to the air passage 71b. Frost growth can be suppressed on the entire wall surface of 7b.

Furthermore, since the growth of frost is suppressed during the cooling operation, the amount of ice and frost that must be melted during the defrosting operation can also be suppressed. Therefore, since the amount of heating by the heater for melting ice and frost in the air passage 7b during defrosting operation can be reduced or eliminated, the power consumption of the defrosting heater 45c etc. can be reduced, and other heaters can be replaced with new ones. The need for provision can also be reduced or eliminated.

In particular, in the air passage 71b, which is the air passage when cooling the second switching chamber R5 below the first fan 47a and is the space below the air passage 7b, moisture generated in the air passage 7b is absorbed by gravity. It is a place where it is easy to gather. Therefore, vaporizing the moisture in the air passage 71b is effective in suppressing the growth of frost or the like within the air passage 7b. In particular, in order to prevent the dampers 54 and 55 (driving members) provided in the air path 71b from freezing, it is important to vaporize the moisture in the air path 71b even during the cooling operation.

In addition, when the second switching room R5 is a storage room in the refrigerated temperature range (refrigerated mode or vegetable mode), the cooling required to maintain the second switching room R5 at a predetermined temperature is greater than in the case of the freezing temperature range. Since the amount of moisture in the air passage 71b is small and the dampers 54 and 55 are in a closed state for a long time, it is important to vaporize the moisture in the air passage 71b.

Furthermore, providing the communication hole 9 that communicates the first cooler chamber S11 with the air passage 71b is also effective during defrosting operation when the second switching chamber R5 is used in the freezing temperature range (freezing mode). It is.

For example, when the first fan 47a is not driven during the defrosting operation, the temperature of the air in the first cooler chamber S11 increases by energizing the defrosting heater 45c. In such a case, the control unit 42 closes the dampers 54 and 55 so that this air (warm air) does not flow into the second switching chamber R5, and suppresses the temperature rise of the food in the second switching chamber R5 in the freezing temperature range. do.
Here, since the communication hole 9 is provided, even when the dampers 54 and 55 are closed, the warm air in the first cooler chamber S11 flows into the air passage 71b via the communication hole 9. Therefore, compared to the case where the communication hole 9 is not provided, ice and frost in the air passage 71b can be efficiently heated with warm air. Therefore, the addition of a heater (not shown) for defrosting the frost can be suppressed, and the power consumption of the defrosting heater 45c and the like can be reduced.

Next, during a defrosting operation in which the defrosting heater 45c of the first cooler 15a is energized to defrost, the control unit 42 drives the first fan 47a to maintain the temperature between the first cooler chamber S1 and the refrigeration temperature range. A case will be described in which control (referred to as fan-driven defrosting operation) is performed to circulate air between the set first change room R4 (predetermined storage room).

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air when air is circulated between the first cooler chamber and the first switching chamber in the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment.
Note that the cross section of FIG. 10 is the same as that of FIG. 6. Further, in FIG. 10, arrows indicate the air flow when the first fan 47a is driving when the damper 53 is in the open state and the other dampers 51, 52, 54, and 55 are in the closed state. It shows.

When the control unit 42 opens the damper 53 and drives the first fan 47a, the air that has passed through the first cooler 15a flows through the first switching chamber R4, the first fan 47a, the air path 7b, and the damper 53. It is then guided to the first switching room R4. Moreover, the air in the first exchange chamber R4 is returned to the first cooler chamber S11 via the return port 8g. Due to such air circulation, heat exchange occurs between the first switching chamber R4 and the first cooler 15a, and the air in the first switching chamber R4 in the refrigeration temperature range (0° C. or higher) is used to cool the first cooler 15a. Defrosting of 15a frost (melting temperature below 0°C) is promoted. Therefore, the amount of power consumed by the defrosting heater 45c can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the air that has become low temperature in the first cooler 15a can also cool the first change room R4 in the refrigeration temperature range, it is possible to save energy during defrosting operation.

Further, since the communication hole 9 is provided, even when the dampers 54 and 55 are closed, warm air from the first cooler chamber S1 flows into the air passage 71b as shown by the arrow in FIG. 10. Therefore, compared to the case where the communication hole 9 is not provided, ice and frost on the wall surface of the air passage 71b can be efficiently heated with warm air, so the addition of a heater (not shown) can be suppressed, and the defrosting heater 45c, etc. can reduce power consumption.

Note that when the control unit 42 drives the first fan 47a during the defrosting operation to circulate air between the first switching chamber R4 in the refrigeration temperature range and the first cooler 15a, the damper 52 for direct cooling is opened. The reason why the indirect cooling damper 53 is opened instead is to prevent the food from being directly cooled by the low-temperature air of the first cooler 15a, especially immediately after the start of the defrosting operation. The air cooled by the first cooler 15a passes through the damper 53 (see FIG. 3B) and flows from the discharge port 8f (see FIG. 3A) to the outside (outer periphery) of the first switching chamber container 4b of the first switching chamber R4. Air is blown. Therefore, since low-temperature air rarely hits the food directly, it is possible to prevent the food from becoming too cold or drying out. This is particularly effective when the storage chambers such as the first change room R4 are used in the vegetable mode, and can suppress deterioration in the freshness of foods due to low-temperature, low-humidity air.

Moreover, if the temperature of the first cooler 15a increases as the defrosting operation progresses, and the detected value of the first cooler temperature sensor 35 (see FIG. 3) reaches approximately 0°C, for example, The controller 42 may be configured to open the damper 52 so that high-temperature, high-humidity air can be supplied. The air that has passed through the first cooler 15a, which has a high temperature, is not only less likely to become too cold in the first switching room R4 in the refrigeration temperature range, but also humidified by frost, and by supplying this air, It can also be used for humidifying the switching chamber R4.

Note that during the defrosting operation, even if only one of the dampers 52 and 53 is opened, and even if both of the dampers 52 and 53 are opened, the above-mentioned effects are achieved in both cases. That is, warm air flows into the air passage 71b due to the air flow shown in FIG. 10 through the communication hole 9, thereby reducing the power consumption of the defrosting heater 45c required to defrost the frost on the wall surface of the air passage 7b. . On the other hand, during the defrosting operation, by opening the damper 53 with a small opening area (see FIG. 10), the control unit 42 opens the air path to the first switching room R4 compared to the case where the damper 54 with a large opening area is opened. resistance increases. As a result, the pressure of the air in the air passage 7b increases and the pressure difference with the first cooler chamber S11 increases, so that the air flowing from the air passage 7b to the first cooler chamber S11 through the communication hole 9 increases. Flow rate increases. That is, the introduction of warm air into the air passage 71b is further promoted. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the refrigerator 100 that is highly reliable, can save energy and reduce costs, and can further contribute to society.

≪Modification example≫
Although the refrigerator 100 and the like according to the present invention have been described above using the respective embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions, and various changes can be made.
For example, in the embodiment, a case has been described in which the refrigerator 100 includes the first switching chamber R4 and the second switching chamber R5, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, a configuration including a freezer compartment and a vegetable compartment, or a configuration including one switching compartment may be used. Further, in the embodiment, an example has been described in which the first cooler 15a and the second cooler 15b are provided. Good too.

In addition, as a storage room into which air pressurized by the first fan 47a (fan) is sent, there is a "first storage room" that is set or can be set to a predetermined freezing temperature range, and a "first storage room" that is set to a predetermined refrigeration temperature range. Alternatively, a configurable "second storage chamber" may be included. In this case, it is preferable that the end of the communication hole 9 is not provided in the "second storage chamber" (wall surface). That is, it is preferable that the communication hole 9 does not open into the "second storage chamber".
Further, in the configuration in which the above-mentioned "first storage room" and "second storage room" are provided, the first switching room R4 and the second switching room R5 described in the embodiment may not be provided. . Note that the first exchange room R4 described in the embodiment corresponds to both the above-mentioned "first storage room" and "second storage room". For example, when the first switching room R4 is the "first storage room", the second switching room R5 is the "second storage room". Further, for example, when the first switching room R4 is the "second storage room", the second switching room R5 is the "first storage room".

Further, in the embodiment, a case has been described in which the communication hole 9 is provided near the lower end of the blowout air path forming part 20c, but the position of the communication hole 9 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the communication hole 9 may be provided at another location below the damper 54 in the lower part of the blowout air path forming portion 20c.

Further, in the embodiment, a configuration in which air flows out backward through the communication hole 9 (see FIG. 7) has been described, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the bottom surface of the blowout air passage forming part 20c may be formed into a funnel shape, and the opening at the lower end thereof may be a communication hole.
Further, in the embodiment, a case has been described in which the dampers 51 to 55 are used as "air blow control members" that change the direction in which air flows, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it is also possible to use a predetermined shutter (not shown) as the "air blow control member".

In addition, in the embodiment, a control (see FIG. 10) in which the control unit 42 opens the damper 53 with a small opening area and closes the other dampers 51, 52, 54, and 55 during the defrosting operation will be described. However, it is not limited to this. For example, while power is being supplied to the defrosting heater 45c, the control unit 42 drives the first fan 47a, and the first cooler chamber S1 and the first While circulating air between the switching chamber R4, control is performed to increase the opening degree of the one with a smaller opening area (damper 53) of the two dampers 52 and 53 than the one with a larger opening area (damper 52). You can also do this.
Further, in the embodiment, a case has been described in which two dampers 52 and 53 having different opening areas are provided for one storage chamber (for example, the first exchange chamber R4), but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, three or more dampers (not shown) with different opening areas may be provided for one storage chamber.
Further, the configuration of the refrigerator 100 described in the embodiment is applicable to various types of refrigerators such as household refrigerators and commercial refrigerators.

Further, the embodiments are described in detail to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations of the embodiments with other configurations.
Further, the mechanisms and configurations described above are those considered necessary for explanation, and not all mechanisms and configurations are necessarily shown in the product.

100 Refrigerator 10 Insulated box 15a First cooler (cooler)
20 Air passage forming member 20c Outlet air passage forming part 46a First cooler toy (toy)
47a First fan (fan)
42 Control part 52, 53, 54, 55 Damper (air blow control member)
45a, 45b Electric heater 45c Defrost heater 56, 57 Gear box (electrical parts)
9 Communication hole 7b, 71b Air path R4 First change room (storage room, first storage room/second storage room)
R5 Second switching room (storage room, second storage room/first storage room)
S1 First cooler room (cooler room)
S11 First cooler room (space on the upstream side of the air flow of the cooler)
8g, 8n return port (cold air return port)
Q1 Range (area)

Claims (9)

a storage room with a cold air return port;
a cooler chamber into which return cold air flows from the cold air return port;
A cooler provided in the cooler room;
a fan that boosts the pressure of the air cooled by the cooler;
an air outlet forming part forming an air outlet on the outlet side of the fan;
A communication hole is provided in the blowout air path forming part,
The air passage and a region from the cold air return port to the upstream half of the air flow of the cooler are in communication via the communication hole,
The storage chamber includes a first storage chamber that is set or can be set to a freezing temperature zone, and a second storage chamber that is set to or can be set to a refrigerated temperature zone,
An end of the communication hole is not provided in the second storage chamber,
The communication hole is provided within a range where the second storage chamber exists in the height direction.
A refrigerator featuring a storage room with a cold air return port;
a cooler chamber into which return cold air flows from the cold air return port;
A cooler provided in the cooler room;
a fan that boosts the pressure of the air cooled by the cooler;
an air outlet forming part forming an air outlet on the outlet side of the fan;
A communication hole is provided in the blowout air path forming part,
The air passage and a region from the cold air return port to the upstream half of the air flow of the cooler are in communication via the communication hole,
further comprising a defrosting heater that heats the cooler,
While the defrosting heater is energized, the fan is driven to circulate air between the cooler chamber and the storage chamber that is in a refrigeration temperature zone or is set in a refrigeration temperature zone;
Two ventilation control members for changing the opening degree between the air passage and the storage chamber are provided for one storage chamber,
While circulating the air, control is performed to increase the opening degree of the one with a smaller opening area of the two air blowing control members than the one with a larger opening area.
A refrigerator featuring a defrosting heater disposed upstream of the air flow from the cooler;
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a toy that is provided below the cooler and the defrosting heater and that receives drainage from the communication hole. comprising a defrosting heater that heats the cooler,
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the defrosting heater does not reach directly below the communication hole. A defrosting heater is provided upstream of the air flow from the cooler,
The blowout air passage forming part is provided in a range including a side of the cooler,
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the communication hole is arranged within a lateral projection area of the cooler or below the projection area. comprising a defrosting heater that heats the cooler,
While the defrosting heater is energized, the fan is driven to circulate air between the cooler chamber and the storage chamber that is in a refrigeration temperature zone or is set in a refrigeration temperature zone;
Two ventilation control members for changing the opening degree between the air passage and the storage chamber are provided for one storage chamber,
While the defrosting heater is energized, one of the air blowing control members used for blowing air to the outside of the container in the storage room is opened.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: According to claim 1 or claim 2, the air flowing out from the air passage through the communication hole is blown out to a side opposite to the storage chamber, which is set or can be set in a refrigeration temperature range. Refrigerator as described. An air blowing control member is provided between the storage room, which is in a refrigerated temperature range or can be set, and the air passage, and changes the degree of opening thereof;
The air passage extends below the air blow control member,
The communication hole is provided below the air blow control member.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A gear box is provided as a drive source for the air blow control member,
The communication hole is provided below the gear box.
The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized by:

Images